This area was known historically for its rich flora, and numerous locally scarce plant species are still found here.

The 20 acre Conwell Tract was given by Walter Conwell in 1968. The 24 acre Travis Wildflower Preserve was given by the family of Bernard and Ester Travis in 1990. The five acre Dewey Preserve, which contains a wildlife observation tower overlooking the Cascadilla Creek Valley floodplain, was given by Agnes and James Dewey in 1999.

The terrain and vegetation along this section of Cascadilla Creek are very diverse. Here you can explore forest, old orchard, or shrub thicket, and hay meadows that were once agricultural fields. There are also some small sections of forest near the creek that have always been forested.